BACHELOR OF TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMME

ME2114E MECHANICS OF MATERIAL II

TITLE: ME2114E-2 COMBINED BENDING & TORSION
LAB VENUE: EA-02-21

COMBINED BENDING & TORSION

Page 1

Table of Contents
Objectives
Introduction
Experimental Procedures
Sample Calculations
Results (Tables & Graphs)
Discussion
Conclusion

COMBINED BENDING & TORSION

Page 2

3
3
4
5
6
11
13

Objectives

To compare the experimental stresses results with theoretical

stresses results
To analyse and calculate the bending and shear stress at the surface
of the shaft subjected to both bending and torsion using strain
gauge technique.

Introduction
Shafts subjected to both bending and twisting are frequently encountered
in engineering, applications. By applying St. Venant's principle and the
principle of superposition, the stresses at the surface of the shaft may be
analysed.
The main purpose of this experiment is to analyse problems of this kind
using, the strain gauge technique and to compare the experimental
results with theoretical results.
As the strain gauge technique enables only the determination of states of
strain at about a point. Hooke's law equations are used to calculate the
stress components. In this experiment, the elastic constants of the test
material are first determined.

COMBINED BENDING & TORSION

Page 3

Experimental Procedures
A. Determination of elastic constants
(1) Measure the diameter of the tensile test piece and mount it on
the tensometer.
(2) Use a quarter bridge configurations and for each tensile load
applied to the test piece, record the longitudinal and transverse
strains in order to evaluate the Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio.
(Show in Table 1)

B. Combined bending and torsion test

(1) Measure the length of a and b.

(2) Connect the strain gauges to the strain-meter using, a
quarter bridge configuration and balance all the gauges.
(3) Record the strain gauge reading for each corresponding loads.
(4) Compute the stresses from the strain readings.
(5) Using a full bridge configuration given, record the strain-meter
reading for each applied load.

COMBINED BENDING & TORSION

Page 4

Sample Calculations
a

Sample calculation for

&

at P=0.5 kg

According to equation & Table 2 below:

a =( 24+ 8 )(1123 )=66 106

6
b =( 2411 ) (23+ 8 )=28 10

Comparing Experimental Stresses & Theoretical Stresses:

Experimental Bending Stress
x

E
1

)=

70.51 x 10 9
10.338

(24 -14)x10^-6 =1.065MPa

Experimental Shear Stress

xy

E
2( 1+ )

)=

70.51 x 10
2( 1+0.338)

Theoretical Bending Stress

COMBINED BENDING & TORSION

Page 5

(24 +11)x10^-6=0.922MPa

32 bP
3
=
d

0.01586 3

32 X 0.1 X (0.5 X 9.81)

Theoretical Shear Stress

3

xy =

16 aP
3
=
d

0.01586

16 X 0.15 X (0.5 X 9.81)

RESULTS (TABLES & GRAPH)

Part A- Determination of Elastic Constants
Cross Sectional Area
(mm)

Diameter of Tensile Test Piece (mm)

D1
9.60

D2
9.50

Cross Sectional Area =

D average
9.55
d2
4

71.63

( 9.55)
4

= 71.63 mm2

Table 1:
Load P
(N)
200

(MPa)

Longitudinal Strain
x
(10-6)

Transverse Strain
y
(10-6)

2.79

42

-13

Direct Stress

COMBINED BENDING & TORSION

Page 6

400
600
800
1000
1200

5.58
8.38
11.17
13.96
16.75

80
118
160
205
240

-30
-45
-55
-66
-80

Part B - Combined Bending and Torsion

Table 2:
Strain (10-6) [ Quarter Bridge Configuration]
Strain (1)
Strain (2)
Strain (3)
Strain (4)
(x10-6)
(x10-6)
(x10-6)
(x10-6)

Load
P/KG
0
0.5
1
1.5

0
24
47
71

0
-11
-23
-34

0
-23
-47
-70

0
14
27
38

2
2.5

95
118

-45
-56

-95
-47

46
65

142

-67

-140

74

Table 3: Comparing Quarter Bridge Configuration with Full Bridge

Configuration

Load P(kg)
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3

Quarter bridge
Configuration
a
b
0
72
144
213
281
286
423

D(diameter of the
shaft)

0.15
m

0.10
m

0.01586m

COMBINED BENDING & TORSION

0
22
44
69
99
44
141

Page 7

Full Bridge Configuration

a

0
70
143
212
279
347
409

0
24
48
72
95
120
142

Table 4: Bending Stress and Shear Stress

Bending Stress
Load P/kg

(MPa)

Shear Stress

xy

(MPa)

Theoretical

Experiment
al

Theoretical

Experiment
al

0.0

0.5

1.065

1.220

0.922

0.915

1.0

2.130

2.439

1.844

1.829

1.5

3.515

3.659

2.766

2.744

2.0

5.219

4.878

3.689

3.659

2.5

5.645

6.098

4.584

4.574

3.0

7.242

7.318

5.507

5.488

Graph 1: Longitudinal Stress vs Longitudinal Strain

18
16
14
12
10

Longitudinal Stress (MPa)

8
6
4
2
0

50

100

150

Longitudinal Strain x (10-6)

COMBINED BENDING & TORSION

Page 8

200

250

( 16.752.79) X 10 6
E=
( 24042 ) X 106

= 7.0505 X 1010 Pa = 70.51 GPa

Graph 2: Transverse Strain vs Longitudinal Strain

0
-10

50

100

150

200

250

-20
-30
-40

Transverse Strain (10-6)

-50
-60
-70
-80
-90

Longitudinal Strain (10-6)

(13(80 ) ) x 106
v=
=0.338
( 42240 ) x 106

Graph 3: Bending Stress (MPa) VS Load (Kg)

8
7
6
5

Bending Stress (MPa)

4
3
2
1
0

0.5

1.5

Load (Kg)
Theoretical

COMBINED BENDING & TORSION

Experimental

Page 9

2.5

3.5

Graph 4: Shear Stress (MPa) VS Load (Kg)

6
5
4

Shear Stress (MPa)

3
2
1
0

0.5

1.5

2.5

3.5

Load (Kg)
Theoretical

Experimental

Graph 5: Load (Kg) VS a

3.5
3
2.5
2

Load (Kg)

1.5
1
0.5
0

50

100

150

200

250

300

a (x10-6)
Quarter Bridge

COMBINED BENDING & TORSION

Page 10

Full Bridge

350

400

450

Graph 6: Load (Kg) VS b

3.5
3
2.5
2

Load (Kg)

1.5
1
0.5
0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

b (x10-6)
Quarter Bridge

Full Bridge

DISCUSSION
1. Compare the theoretical stresses with the experimental values.
Discuss possible reasons for the deviations if any, in the results
obtained.

The more load we applied, the more difference between theoretical

stress and experimental stress valve, according to Graph 3.
This difference happened because we did not record the reading
correctly during experiment. Also, during the measurement, the
shaft may deformed while increasing load. Some human error such
as not balance to zero while change strain gauge to measure.
2. From the results of step (B5), deduce the type of strain the strainmeter readings represent.

Ea represents axial direction

COMBINED BENDING & TORSION

Page 11

Eb represents lateral direction

3. Apart from the uniaxial tension method used in this experiment,
how can the elastic constants be determined?
4. Instead of using Equations (3) and (8) for strains, develop
alternative equations to enable the determination of strains from
the four gauge readings.

So similarly,

5. Develop stress equations for combined bending and twisting of

hollow shafts with K as the ratio of inside to outside diameter.

x
So,

M xz R
I

x Pb

d0
1
32 Pb
d
4

4 0 4
4
2 64 (d 0 d i )
(d 0 d i )

32 Pb
1
di
x

3
d 0 (1 k 4 )
Since k= d 0 , so

COMBINED BENDING & TORSION

Page 12

 xy

TR
J

Pad 0
1
4
2 32 (d 0 d 4i )
So,
d
16Pa
1
i
xy

3
d 0 ( 1 K 4 )
Since k= d 0 , so
xy

6. In certain installations, shafts may be subjected to an axial load F in

addition to torsional and bending loads. Would the strain gauge

arrangement for this experiment be acceptable to the determination of
stresses? Give reasons for your answer. For simplicity, a solid
shaft may be considered
Yes, it is also acceptable.

Conclusion
From this experiment, I know that we can analyze the stress on certain surface
by using St. Venant's principle and the principle of superposition.
There is difference value of normal stress and shear stress between experimental
and theoretical method.

COMBINED BENDING & TORSION

Page 13